Extra Police for Bloomsburg Block Party

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

BLOOMSBURG -- The Bloomsburg Block Party was held on Saturday, and police aren't messing around in Columbia County.

Saturday was the day students and non-students come to town to party.

The Bloomsburg Block Party has been a controversy in the community for years.

Some residents feel the boozy bash is nothing but a headache.

Several outdoor parties have permits, but cops said they know they will be dealing with unregulated parties which could be fined up to $1,000.

The Bloomsburg Police Chief said his department has the largest police presence ever for the weekend, which includes officers from surrounding counties, Hershey, and the Poconos.

As of 7 p.m., police said about 70 people were arrested at the block party.

"We were here earlier this year, compared to last year, prior years we didn't see their ramping up till after 12, and we have recognized this it's much earlier, so we were here earlier," said Chief Roger Vanloan.

The extra officers from other communities are paid for by a pair of state grants.

13 comments

Elle morales

Wise Mom

Once a year is Block Party in Bloomsburg. Every Thursday/Friday/Saturday night in Kutztown is full of drunken Kutztown University loudly leaving the bars at 2:00 am, destroying property, urinating in public, leaving trash everywhere, throwing up. I think the people of Kutztown would rather have 1 day a year to deal with it than every weekend.

Responsible BU Student

And props to the residents like myself who make the best out of it. Like the two older guys who were selling hot dogs out of there garage and telling everyone who walked by to have a great time. Or the people who sit out on their porches to listen and have a good laugh. It’s one day. Like I said, I’ve lived here in town with my family my entire life and it has never been a problem.

Responsible BU Student

I am college student and I myself attended Block Party this year. I made reasonably responsible decisions as well as my friends. I believe college students handled it very well this year. No one fell off balconies. No one got into terrible fights. The 70 arrests were for minor things such as underage drinking or J-walking. NOTHING terrible happened and the town was picked up and cleaned the next day. The worst thing that happened was some kid tried to run from the cops and one girl drank a little too much. If that’s all that made the front page of the paper, we obviously were responsible. Everybody had a great time. The police were great too and stayed out of everyone’s way unless a fight was to break out. If Block Party can be handled as well as it was, I really don’t see the problem. I’ve lived here in Bloom my entire life.

R

I’ve been to a Bloomsburg Block Party in the past years and it gets out of control very quickly. It certainly isnt something I would want to experience again. All the property damage and vehicle damage as well as fights going on during the Block Party makes a very uncomfortable situation. Ive seen cars tipped over and drunk people whipping empty beer bottles into crowds of other drunk people smacking them right in the head. I am very surprised that only 70 people were arrested. I would have expected numbers in the hundreds.

Embarrassed to live in Bloomsburg, Pa.

Again, the blame falls on our ex kid mayor. Little Danny Knorr was responsible for escalating this mess to what it is today. He is the one who brought in bands to play and had vendors on the street selling food. That kid was the biggest disgrace this town has ever seen. Unfortunately, we will be suffering from his mistakes for years to come.

Eugene B.

Fratboy

Wow. Mature? Responsible? Mommy and daddy foot the bill so babies can pretend to be frat boys? Bloom needs to pass an ordinance that drunken college kids get to spend 48 in a prison cell, upon release sign a paper that states baby will go back home and research the definition of responsible adult. But, hey, williamsport supports this crap with Madrid Gras, drunken mommies flashing their fat bags for beads.

The Prophet

B

Not if it disturbs everyone else in the area, isn’t it bad enough they drink themselves to death, (literally, as in alcohol poisening), fall off balconies, u call that fun?and get into brawls where one kills the other? You call that fun? 70 arrests were made for nothing? They were innocent I suppose.

Blondie K

To party is one thing…but to act like this and turn it into a drunken orgy is another matter plus it gives the Town of Bloomsburg a black eye allowing it…it also costs the taxpayers to have all the police on duty ! Plus what kind of rep does it give the University ? the best Party college in the area ?? Wow ! I guess education doesn’t count as number one ? Lets apply to Bloom U because it is the best block party college ! It is disgusting… the town needs to stop this ! Let all the students go home and have their parties at their expense or let the indulging parents pay for that too …enough already !